Machine to form propeller blades



y Dec. 22, 1942.

A E. SKILLMAN MACHINE To FORM PROPELLER BLADES Filled Aug., 13, 1942 ds sheets-Sheet 1 f mvEN'roILV ED WA pz) J'KJLL MA N.

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De. 22, 1942. E, SKlLLMAN MACHINE To FORMn PROPELLER BLADES Filed Aug. l5, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec.l 22, 1942. E. SKILLMAN f -MACHINE TO FORM PROPELLER BLADES Filed Aug. 13, 19:42V 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 pm Www .f mniri N. MM n n R M E Dec. 22, 1942. E. SKILLMAN MACHINE ToJFoRM PROPELLER BLADES 6 sheets-sheet '4 Filed Aug. 13, 1942l INVENTOR, Sfr/LLMAN.

Dec. 22, 1942. E. sKlLLlvlANv MACHINE TO FORM PROP ELLER BLADESu Filed Aug. l5, 1942 G'SheeLs-Sheet- 5 fb w14 zw SKILL MAN.

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De@ 22 1942- E. SKILLMAN MACHINE TO FORM` PROPELLER .BLADES Filed Aug. 13, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR ED WARD SKILL MA N. BY a g/ w ag 1 l L@ .n

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES Tam oFFIcE 9 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine to form propeller blades, and has for its principal object to mill from solid timber, plywood, or other material, but hereinafter referred to as timber, `propeller blades with a gradual decrease in twist from the hub outward to the tips of the blades, and by turning the propeller on its longitudinal axis, both sides of the blades are formed to coincide with respect to their twist.

A still further object of this invention is to manufacture a propeller with a gradual decreasing twist from the hub outward, and the sides of the propeller may be varied with respect to cross section; in other Words, one side being straight in cross section while the other side may 'be crowned or convexed but the twist maintained along the blades as stated in the principal object.

A further object of this invention is to provide a channel-like structure to receive a timber power means to slide the propeller longitudinally as milled by a cutter, and the bed being rocked coincident with the sliding movement of the propeller.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a rocking support for each side of the channel, one support being to twist the blade as milled by the cutter, the other support to raise its respective side of the channel to accommodate for cutting step by step, and being subjected to the twisting movement of the rst said support.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an automatic means for disengaging the milling process by moving the blade structure from engagement with the cutter, and so retained until manually released for further action.

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully explained, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters will apply to like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a rear side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of one form of cutter as applied to a Ipropeller timber, the latter shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a rear side view of the propeller.

Fig. 4 is an edge View of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front side of the propeller.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6A is an enlarged end view of the -propeller, showing the tip and hub thereof, the latfail 'Sii

ter being in rectangular form and indicating the size of the timber prior to forming the blade, the

dotted lines indicating step cutting of the blade;

Fig. 'l is a front elevation of the machine.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the power control, the valve and cylinder chamber being in section.

Fig. 9 is a left hand end View of the machine.

Fig. 10 is a right hand end view thereof.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the beam, adjacent the left hand crank.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the machine.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail side vieWof the automatic valve throw for directional control of the piston movement.

. Fig. 14 is a transverse view of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal `sectional view through the timber from which the propeller is formed, said timber being apertured at the predetermined hub and being engaged by a detachable conveyor to move the timber longitudinally.

Fig. 16 is a sectional View taken on line IB--IB in Fig. 1.

Fig. 17 is a sectional View taken on line I'l-Il in Fig. 22,

Fig. 18 is an enlarged detail of the vcontrol for the upper movement of the bed step by step to its maximum movement.

Fig. 18A is a detail View of the guard pawl at its terminal position to engage the latch.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of the turning means for the guard and rockably mounted catch to retain said pawl from engagement with the teeth of the guard, the barrel for the pawl being in section.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken on line 20--20 in Fig. 18.

Fig. 21 is a sectional View taken on line 2|-2I in Fig. 18.

Fig. 22 represents the assembly of elements to rock the bed upward step lby step, the bed in section, and other parts removed for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 23 is a top plan view of Fig. 22, the bed and rocking arm omitted.

Fig. 24 is a modified form from that shown in Fig. 1 to rock the bed through the medium of gear arrangement.

The invention herein disclosed relates to a machine for the manufacture of propellers, the structure of the machine consisting of apair of leg elements l spaced apart and being connected at their upper extremities :by a channellike element 2 with respect to cross section to function as a beam for the support of a superstructure that consists of a standard 3 vertically disposed and being adjacent each leg of the machine and a centrally disposed standard, said standards being adjustably connected at their respective points of engagement with the beam through the medium of cap screws 4 threadedly engaging in the beam, said cap screws extending through slots 5 in the standards whereby said standards may be vertically adjusted and secured to such position selectively, said standards laterally extending outward from where they leave the upper side of the beam.

The upper end of each standard has a bearing B integrally formed thereto to receive a rod 'I rockably therein, each end of the rod being bored diametrically to receive a pin 1 insertible therethrough as securing means for the rod against longitudinal movement, the purpose of said rod later described.

Positioned a spaced distance upward from the y beam and being in parallelism vtherewith is a channel structure to function as a bed in which a propeller timber 8 will engage for longitudinal sliding movement therein and being secured by a rockable spring tensioned clamp 8 rockably secured to the bed adjacent each side of a -cutter to bind a blade slidable in the bottom of the bed, said bed consisting of two L-shaped members 9, the horizontally disposed legs of which confront each other with respect to their edges and adapted to be moved toward and from each other to vary the width of the channel, said L-shaped members being connected by cross bars I0, one adjacent each end of the bed and one centrally disposed, said bars having slots II longitudinally extending and through which a bolt I I for each channel leg will extend as adjustable securing means for the L-shaped members as spaced apart and likewise to vary the position of the channel transversely of its length whereby a timber positioned in the channel may be positioned beneath a cutter head, later described.

It will be seen that the said cross bars I6 outwardly extend from the vertical sides of the channel structure to provide ample length to expand l the channel with respect to cross section, the ends of the bars extending toward the front of the machine, each being apertured to receive an eye bolt I2, or the like, pendantly carried thereby, the bolts being secured by nuts I3 threadedly engaging above and below the bars as locking means for the eye bolts at a predetermined distance downward.

Rigidly secured to rod 'I is an arm I4 for each eye bolt, the free ends of said arms extending toward and being registered with the apertures of said eye bolts for pivotal connection therewith by pins I5 extending through the apertures, said pins being removably secured by pins I6 passing through the rst said pins adjacent their respective outer sides of the eye bolts and said arms Where they rockably connect, whereby the bed is rocked by a mechanism later described to form the twist of the propeller blades as milled as said blades are moved longitudinally in the bed through the medium of a connecting rod I'I having a head at one end thereof positioned at right angle to the rod so that the head will engage in a centrally disposed bore I8 through the propeller timber. The head has a rockable wedge I9 carried thereby for snug engagement in the bore, the Wedge having a spring 2G as separating means therefor from the rigid portion 2| of the head to cause snug engagement, and the convolutons of the spring being compressed to near engagement to avoid longitudinal movement at the time of retracting the propeller for repeated milling by the cutter. The said wedge has a handle A laterally extending from its pivot point connection to loosen the head by an upward lift of the handle at the time of removing said head from the aperture when the propeller is nished or when it is desired to reverse the same end for end to mill in like manner the oppositely disposed blade of the propeller, it being understood that the bore is for hub connection of the propeller to a journaled shaft therefor, the latter not being shown in the drawings.

The cutting element or head 22 heretofore referred to is positioned within a casing 23 to function as a guard against accident disaster resulting from flying debris and to guard against personal contact with the cutter. It will be understood that the cutter head is suitably journalled in bearings 24 that are integral with their respective arms 25 at their upper extremities, and likewise an electric motor 2B to turn the cutter, said arm being bifurcated at its lower portion, the legs of which are adjustably secured to its respective side of the beam as shown in Fig. l, and the motor being actuated from a source of electric energy and having a suitable switch to make and break the current, conveniently positioned to an operator but not shown in the drawings. It will be seen that the vertical legs of the channel are removed arcuately adjacent the cutter as at B to clear the cutter blades.

It will be seen that the other side of the bed opposite to that above described is likewise rockably carried by a link, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a plate 27 that extends across the under side of thebed Ito reinforce the same where the ver-tical leg portions of the bed are removed as heretofore stated, said plate being adjustably connected to the bed to function in like manner Ito that of the said cross bars I0 that likewise connect the L-shaped members of the bed. adjustably. The link from its pivot connection down consists of va threaded stud 28 that threadedly engages in the crotch of a yoke 29 for vertical adjustment, the legs of the yoke being adapted to s-traddle a sleeve Sil and being pivotally connected thereto so that the said sleeve may rock with a lever 3l that diagonally extends across the rear of the beam as shown in Fig. 1, said lever being pivotally connected to the upper end of a cylindrical standard 32, the lower portion of which is threaded to engage in the threaded bearing 33 that is adjustably secured to the side of said beam by bolts 34 engaging in slots 35 extending horizontally through the side of the beam, the standard being so arranged and connected is adapted for vertical and horizontal adjustment for the lever action.

Slidably mounted in close proximity to the upper extremity of the beam is a bar 36 secured by a guide 3l at each end of the machine by bolts 38 engaging through the outwardly extending legs of the guides. The right hand end portion of the bar upwardly extends at right angle and has adjustably secured thereto an extension bar 39 the upper end of which is apertured to receive the connection rod Il adjustably therein, the rod having onits outer end a nut 'l0 to threadedlyl engage on the rod where it extends through the aperture of the extension and a suitable distance each Way therefrom. Between the nut and the outer side of the extension bar is a nipple 4I slidable on the connecting rod VI, the end of said nipple where it contacts the nut being straight while the other end is pointed for rocking movement when the connecting rod I1 is being detached from the propeller by raising the rodl at its head, the bore through the extension bar 39 being greater in size than the diameter' of the rod to permit rocking movement thereof. Positioned on the other side of the extension bar 39 is a coil spring 42 Wound on the connecting rod l1 and secured to abutting engagement with the extension bar 39 by a pin 43 engaging in one of a plurality of apertures 44 diametrically crossing the rod whereby retraction of the propeller` timber during its course of formation is moved without sudden thrust as the spring will function as a cushion. The other end of the connecting rod has a head heretofore described as conveying means for the propeller slidable longitudinally of the channel as supporting means therefor during the time of milling the blades.

' To actuate the sliding movement of the said bar 36 and its connecting rod l1 to slidably move the propeller is through the medium of an elongated cylinder 45 in parallelism with the bar and on the same plane with respect to their longitudinal axes, said cylinder having pipes 46 and 41 connected with their respective ends of the cylinder to inject and eject alternately to drive a piston 48 positioned in the cylinder, the piston having a rod 49 connected thereto and axially extending through one of the heads 50 of the cylinder. The outer end of the piston rod 49 has a right angle bent portion 5l, the end of said portion removably connected to a nipple structure 52 that is secured to the inner side of bar 36 as sliding means therefor reciprocatingly. The said pipes 46 and 41 are connected with a ltwo-way valve consisting of a shell 53 having a core 54 axially extending 4through the shell whereby an annular by-pass 55 is formed and having connected thereto a feed pipe 56 to connect the same to a source of compression and an exhaust pipe 51. The power element may be water, air, steam, or oil, in case of the latter to preserve the oil a force pump may be employed to return the oil to its source of supply, the pump and supply source not shown in the drawings.

The valve structure is supported by a standard 58 that is connected to the beam, and it will be seen in Fig. 8 that the core 54 of the valve structure has a pair of stop elements 59 opposi-tely positioned diametrically, each stop adapted to cross the annular by-pass chamber to direct the ow selectively when moved clockwise as shown in Fig. 8, the force of power being transmitted to the left hand end of the cylinder to drive the piston toward the other end and at its terminal movement a means later described will turn the valve .anticlockwise to close off the port 46 of the rst said pipe and simultaneously open port 41 for injection through its respective pipe into its respective end of the cylinder to retract the lmovement of the piston and so on reciprocatingly. It will be understood that the said ports 46' and 41 each will function as an exhaust alternately, one of which is illustrated by the closing off of port 41 which in turn will permit the power to exhaust from the cylinder through pipe 41., and vice versa when the valve is rocked.

Inasmuch as ample quantity of power is pro- -vided to actuate the machine it will be seen that the retraction of the piston requires a lesser vamount of the power inflation due to the head area being reduced by the presence of the piston Irod 49, therefore under the same force of impact, retraction of the piston moves with a greater r speed which is desirable to speed up action in th'e course of milling the propeller whereby time and expense is economized.

To rock the valve there is provided a shaft 60 journalled in the beam adjacent each end thereof; eachshaft having a downwardly extending crankv 6l secured thereto, said cranks at their lower extremities being connected by a rod 62 for simultaneous rocking of the shafts. Secured t0 l0 the other end of each shaft is a detent 63 obliquely extending upward and adapted tov rock through anv arc of approximately ninety degrees reciprocatingly, andV seating on their respective stop elements`64 and 65 to avoid excess rocking movement of the shafts, and the said detents being alternately rocked by their respective strikers 66 and 61 that are secured to and carried by said bar 36, the reciprocating movement of the bar being actuated by the piston rod movement heretofore described, which in turn will actuate the valve turning mechanism as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14.

The valve turning mechanism consists of an arm 68 secured to the core and extending'downward to where it integrally joins a sector 69 having a groove 10 in parallelism with the arc of the sector positioned in working relation with a kick spring element and being pivotally connected by a pin 1I to a collar 12 slidably mounted on a square stem 13, said collar being retained by a pin 14 passing through the stem, first said pin 1I to move in the arc of the slot of the sector when the said kick spring element is rocked in either directionpast a vertical axis, at which instant the stem will reverse its position as retained by the slotted sector moving from end to end thereof as the bar 36 reciprocates.

It will be seen that spring 15 is wound on the stem 13 and compressed by the collar in the stems rocking movement from end to end of said slot. The expansion of the spring will suddenly rock the valve core through the medium of its arm 68 heretofore described. It will be seen that th'e stem at its lower extremity is rockably connected on a pin 16 that is secured to a side of the beam, the stem extending downward from its pivot point and having a pin 11 to engage in the opening 19 of a link 19 that is rigidlt7 secured to the connecting rod 62 which in turn rocks the kick-off' element from side to side as said connecting rod 62 moves reciprocatingly. To avoid twisting movement of the stem as engaged by the sector there is provided an arm oppositely disposed to the sector and having its free end pivotally connected to the collar while its upper end is rockably connected to the standard 58. Furthermore said arm 89 in its arcuate movement will avoid frictional engagement along the upper side of the arcuate 'groove in the sector 69.

- It will be seen that lever 3l as diagonally extending from its rockable connection will cross said bar 36 and being slidably connected thereto 'by a sleeve 8| that is rockably connected to the bar whereby when the bar is moved toward the right hand end of th'e machine, the lever is rocked upward as indicated by dotted lines 82 which in turn will raise the said link to rock its `respective side of the propeller retaining bed up- Award and return the same proportionately as controlled by the sleeve 8l to turn the propeller as milled by the cutter to graduately and accurately form a, desired twist for the propeller blade as the bed is rocked upward as stated in the rst object.

It will be understood that the cutting steps for zth'e propeller are accomplished by a mechanism positioned on. the front of the. machine, the;

arrangement. of which isf as: follows:V

Coacting with the rocking mechanism for the propeller bed above described there is provided a crank 83 on the front end of sha-ft 60 adjacent the left hand end of. the machine, said:` crankr rockably connected to the lower end of a link, th'e, other end of the link being' rockably connected. to the free end of a pawl carrying lever 84, the other end of 'the l'ever being rockably'carriedion shaft 1 to functionV as a pivot point for thev lever, the link consisting of a longitudinally divided shaft 85, andv connected by a turnbuckle 86, threaded in such a way as to expand or contract the shaft longitudinally as an adjustable feature. 'I'he upper end of the link has a universal joint connection 81 with the aforesaid pawl carrying lever 84 to rock the same on a Vertical plane as turning means for a sector 88 functioning asa guard to restrict the engagement of a pawl' 89 in its action upon a toothed sector portion of a circular'disc element 90 that is journalled on said shaft 1' to turn the disc step by step; the movement of which isl transmitted to the shaft through the medium of a lever 9|, the inner end of which is rigidly secured to said shaft andthe said lever has a spring actuated pawl 92 on its side to engage with the notches 93 of the sector formed on the periphery of the disc, whereby the shaft may be turned and' become subject to the action of'pawl 89 to raise said arm |'4l step by step which in turn carried the bed for a repeated cutting of the propeller. It will be understood thatA the rocking movement of th'e bed willmove to itsy downward maximum position by each downward stroke of the crank 83 and likewise the retraction movement of the pawl 89, the latter being free to move a greater distance downward' due to the fixed,

stroke of crank 83 that actuatesV the pawl 89 but hasI no action on the arm I4 in itsdownward stroke, the arm being` free toA rest on its stop element 94 that is stationed on. the beam so that the upper end of the stop element will engage the knuckle joint of said arm I4 and eye bolt I2 and where it rests until it is picked up by the said pawl 89' acting upon its disc to turn the shaft', and each upward stroke will raise the sidev of the bedadjacent the eye bolts one step higher each stroke as the pawl engages the teeth of its disc, It will beseen that the teeth engaged bythe pawl 89 are restricted in consecutive order as theV said pawl slides downward over the guard 88 that is with the graduated twisting movement provided for onthe rear side of the machine heretofore described.

When one side of the propeller has been formed' the timber will be turned over to form the other side and for this form I have illustrated in Figs. 6 and 6A a variation in the sides; in other words, the rear side of the propeller blade may be formed as shown in Fig. 6 in which instance a cutter 95 similar to that shown in Fig.

2 is employed. In this instance the cutter will act principally from one edge portion of the blade to crown its respective side with respect .to cross section and being subject to the twisting ascenso movement described, whereby a. leading. edge is formed. It will be seen that the illustration in Fig; 2 represents the nal cutting of the blade at its tip for its respective side, the other side as illustrated not being milled. It will be understood thai-I the milled side of the blade shall be furred up as at C to avoid chattering, whilel the other side is being milled.

In Fig. 22 is illustrated the controlling elements for action of pawl 89 that is rockably carried by its carrying arm 84 and tensioned to engagement by a spring 96 secured to the arm 84 and engaging on the outer side of the pawl 89, the point of the pawl 89 being adapted to en.-v gage with the disc heretofore stated. To restrict its engagement with one tooth at a time, there is provided the guard sector 88 consisting of a web having an arcuate flange 91 integral with the arcuate edge of the web, said guard rockably mounted onV shaft 1 and frictionally retained by a spring element 98 engaging on the shaft 1 andV positioned between the web and a pin 99 extending through thhe shaft, being so assembled, will avoid easy rockingv movement of the guard. The said flange 91 extends outward each way from the sides of the web, one side extending over the toothed portion of the disc. and the other side has a series of internal teeth |00 to be acted upon by a pawl |0| that is carried by elongated tube |02 that is rockably mounted on the shaft, 1, said pawl |0| slidably engaging in the tube to engage with the internal teeth |00 of the flange and being tensioned outward to engagement therewith by a spring |03 seated in the bottom of the tube, the shaft of the pawl having` a notch |04 across one side thereof to be engaged by a rockably mounted catch |05 when the pawl is forced inward sufllciently to engage the catch. The tube has an elongated slot |06 diametrically positioned and extending longitudinally of the tube to engage a pin |01 extending through the pawl |0| to retain the same from turning movement but free to move longitudinally. The said pawl structure is positioned between the first said pawl carrying lever 84 and web of the sector 88 and being rocked by said lever to move the guard in one direction step by step by the reciprocating movement of said arm whereby the teeth on the disc are exposed in consecutive order to be engaged by the first said pawl 89 to raise the propeller bed for consecutive milling step by step from the outer surface of the timber to the finishing cuts for the blade.

The said lever 84 has a pair of oppositely disposed discs |08 eccentrically mounted to vary the space between said discs by turning the same selectively and there being secured by bolts D engaging through their respective ears E that are integrally joined to the lever, the discs being the contact elements to rock the pawl |0|, the excess spacebetween the discs being to provide idle movement of the lever to avoid movement of the guard equal to the rock of the crank 83 but rather to engage the teeth consecutively to move the guard, at which time the bed is rocked downward to free the timber for longitudinal movement for a repeated step of milling, at

which time the bed is raised, this being accomplished by thel upward rock of the crank 83, which in turn moves the pawl along the guard until the tip of the pawl engages a tooth of the disc whereby the bed is retained until the cutter has milled the blade from the hub outward to the tip, and, each successive engagement of the disc teeth by the pawl 89 is means to raise the bed'step by step until one side of the blade is finished. At the finishing cut the pawl IUI will have reached a slanting portion |09 at the end of the teeth series that will function as a cam to force said pawl |I inward sufficiently for the catch to engage in its notch and being so retained the pawl IDI is inactive regardless the action of the crank 83. At the time of permanently disengaging the pawl IIJI by its catch when the milling of the blades is finished and upon replacing the timber or changing the same the catch will be tripped by a downwardly extending handle IIU for repeated engagement of the pawl 89 upon the guard for repeated milling of another side.

It will be seen that the pawl rocking means for the guard as heretofore stated determines its movement in contact with the cam, the cam extending inward suliciently to force the pawl to its engagement with the catch, at which instance the tube engages a spring tensioned lever III through the medium of its roller I I2 on the free end of the lever to rock the same on its pivot point as at IIS, and the lever outward from its.

pivot point has a rockable spring tensioned pawl I I4, the point of which engages with teeth |I5 spaced along the side of a latch |I6, by which means said latch is moved outward to extend beyond the periphery of the guard to function as a catch for pawl 89 to rock the guard to its extremity, covering the teeth on the disc to disengage the raising means for the bed, during which time a propeller may be turned for further milling or replaced by another timber. The nishing strokes required to smooth the surface of the propeller are accomplished prior to the last said pawls engagement to rock the guard as above stated. At the time of projecting the latch suflicient to engage the pawl, tongue I I6 oi the latch will permit the end of the tube as at F to move toward the latch the thickness oi its shell, said amount of movement being su'icient to permit the catch engagement to lock the 'pawl |0| against further action for the purpose heretofore stated.

It will be seen that the latch is frictionally retained against free longitudinal movement by the end of a friction plunger Ill in contact with the side of the latch, the plunger being tensioned by a coil spring IIB wound thereon, and to retract the latch for further action to mill a propeller is accomplished by a lever ||9 having a slot longitudinally therealong to engage on a pin to rock the lever manually by a knob I2| positioned on its free end, and being so arranged the lever will slide longitudinally as the latch is retracted to its normally disengaged position. To retract the latch, the pawl I I4 is disengaged by a manual downward push on its knob |22 positioned on its free end outward from the pivot point. It will be seen that the latch may be adjustably positioned at a predetermined point to stop the latch throughv the medium of a detent |23 against which the end of the lever IIS directed theretoward will engage, the detent being rockable on a pin |24 and has a handle G outwardly extending therefrom to rock the detent. Between the point of the detent and its rockable point there is Qpositioned transversely to the shaft of the detent an elongated link 25 having a bolt |26 extending therethrough that is secured to the web of the guard, the bolt having a nut tofasten the detent at a predetermined point to retain the latch at its normal retracted position.'

'Sie

The spring tensioned lever having a roller on one end and a spring tensioned pawl for the latch on the other are retracted'to their normal position through the medium of their respective springs III' and II4.

Fig. 24 illustrates a modified method to substitute the link connecting the lever 3l with the bed. The said gure illustration provides a gear |21 adjustably secured to said lever, its teeth being in mesh with the teeth of another. gear |28, the upper end of the latter being connected to the bed similar to that of the link. Inasmuch as the link was provided for longitudinal adjustment, the gear IZ'I is likewise adjusted for such equalization by an arcuate slot |29 through the gear to receive a bolt |30 as securing means for the gear to the lever.

It is also anticipated in this invention that single propeller blades may be manufactured with the same emciency as the blades herein disclosed, such blades individually to be secured to a suitable hub at the discretion of the` manufacturer skilled in the art of such production, and further the electric motor may be substituted by pulleys or other power transmitting elements, and such other modifications may be made as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine to form propeller blades, a beam"of Ysuitable length and legs to carry the beam horizontally, and a channel of suitable Alength and being supported in parallelism with the beam by a pair of means, each of which is rockably connected to its respective side of the channel and adapted to coact while a timber positioned in the channel is being formed into a propeller, and means to slidably move the timber longitudinally in the channel while said channel is being rocked, a cutter and power means to actuate the cutter, said cutter being journalled in working relation to the timber and carried by the beam, means to raise one of the said channel carrying means to engage the timber with the cutter, and means to rock the other channel carrying means to form a twist for a blade as milled by the cutter, and power means to actuate the raising and rocking movements of the channel carrying means.

2. In a machine to form propeller blades, a beam and legs to carry the beam, a channel and carrying means to carry each side of the channel a spaced distance upward from the beam, a cylinder carried by the beam in working relation to the channel, the cylinder having a piston therein and a rod carried by the piston, the rod extending outward from one end 0i' the cylinder, a bar slidably carried on the beam adjacent the cylinder, means to connect the piston rod to the bar, a rod having a head on one end thereof, said rod adapted to engage with a timber positioned in the channel as sliding means for the timber, and means to connect the rod to the bar, said headed rod and bar being moved longitudinally by the piston rod reciprocatingly, and power means to energize the cylinder.

3. In a machine to form propeller blades as recited in claim 2, one of said carrying means consisting of a standard vertically carried by the beam, a lever having one of its ends rockably connected to the upper end of the standard and slantingly crossing the beam and said slidable bar, a sleeve rockably carried by said slidable bar and through which the lever will slidably engage to rock the lever as the said slidable lbar is moved longitudinally, a link rockably connecting one side of the bed to the lever adjacent its standard whereby the said .side of the bed is rocked vertically, said other carrying means to raise .the other side of said bed step by step in coaction with the rocking movement of the first said side to twist a blade as formed from the timber, decreasing the pitch of the twist Yas it approaches the tip of the blade.

4. In a machine to form propeller blades, a .horizontally positioned beam, a bed for a propeller timber placed above the beam and in parallelism therewith, means for each side of the bed to support the same on said beam, a reciprocating actuated bar carried by the beam in parallelism therewith, means to connect the bar to one side supporting means for the bed to raise .said side of the bed by .the movement of said bar in one direction, and means connected to the bar for the other side supporting means for the bed to move its side gradually upward when the rst said side of the bed has been raised, and a power actuated cutter positioned above the timber to form a propeller vfrom said timber, conveying .means for the timber to -move the same longitudinally beneath the cutter, and means to attach said conveying means to said bar to move said timber.

5. In a machine of the class described to form propeller blades, .the machine comprising a beam of suitable length and legs to carry the beam on a .horizontal plane, an elongated cylinder carried by the beam at its upper extremity and in parallelism therewith, the cylinder having a piston rod therein, the rod outwardly extending from one end of the cylinder, and v.power means .to energize the .piston movement reciprocatingly and vcarrying the rod therewith, an elongated :bar carried bythe beam in working relation to the cylinder, a bed positioned upward from the beam and being in parallelism therewith means carried by the bar for .moving a propeller blank along said bed, a yshaft and standards to carry Vthe shaft in working relation to the bed, arms having one end of each secured to the shaft, and rockable means to connect the other ends of the arms to one side of the bed, .means to turn the Ishaft to rock the arms upward to raise their respective side of the bed step by step, a cutting .head .and motor journalled on the arm intwork- .ing relation to the bed, the arm being secured `to the `beam so that the bed when rocked will .move toward and from the cutter head.

6. In a machine tov form propeller blades, a beam horizontally positioned, a plmality of standards upwardly extending from said beam, the lower ends of said standards being adjustkably secured to said beam, a shaft rockably carried by the upper ends of said standards, a bar slidably carried by the beam, and power means to move the bar .reciprocatingly, and a valve mechanism to cause reverse movement of the bar, shaft and crank means therefor to rock the rst said shaft when the bar is moved, a propeller carrying bed positioned above the beam, connecting means for one side of the bed to said shaft to rock the bed when the shaft is turned, supporting means for the other side of the bed, means to connect said supporting means to the bar to gradually raise and lower its respective side of the bed, a conveyor to move the timber longitudinally in the bed, and means connecting the conveyor to said timber and bar lto move said conveyor, apowerwactuated cutter adjustably carried by the beam, said cutter being positioned .above the .bed to engage the timber as .raised theretoward by the rocking movement of the first said shaft.

7. In a machine -to form propeller blades, a beam of :suitable length and legs to carry the beam horizontally, a channel-like bed carried in parallelism with the beam and upwardly spaced therefrom, lthe said channel-like bed adapted to receive a timber therein and means to move the timber longitudinally in the bed, said timber to be milled into :a propeller, .a shaft journalled in parallelism with the bed, said shaft being carried by standards that are secured to the beam, a plurality of arms having one end of each rigidly secured to the shaft in spaced relation therealong vand extending toward the bed, the other ends of said arms being rockably connected to one side of the bed, means to turn the shaft to raise its adjacent side of the bed step by step for repeated milling of the timber to form a propeller blade, a cutter and a motor to turn the cutter, each of which are journalled on an arm that is secured to the beam, said cutter extending over the timber to mill the same as moved longitudinally thereunder repeatedly and the timber being raised by the bed for each successive milling step by step, means rockably connected to the other Vside-oi? the bed to gradually raise the same to twist the propeller blade gradually from one end thereof to the .other'as milled by the cutter, the -slant of the twist being decreased gradually as it terminates at the said other .end which is the tip of the propeller blade.

8. In a machine Ito form propeller blades, a beam of suitable length and legs to carry the beam horizontally, and a channel of suitable length and being supported in parallelism with the beam by a pair of means, each -of which is rockably connected to its respective side of the channel and adapted to coact while an element from which a propeller is formed is positioned in the channel, and means to slidably move the element longitudinally in the channel while said channel is being rocked, a cutter and power means to actuate the cutter, said cutter being journalled in working relation to the 'element and carried by the beam, means to raise one of the said channel carrying means to engage the element with the cutter, and another means coacting with last said carrying means to discontinue raising of the channel at a predetermined point, means to rock the other channel carrying means to form a twist .for a blade ,as milled by the cutter, and power means to actuate the raising and rocking movements of the channel carrying means.

9. In a machine to form propeller blades, said machine comprising a base, an elongated horizontally positioned bed carried by said `base and adapted to receive a piece of material vfrom which to form a propeller -blade 'slidably longitudinally therein, a rotatable Vcutter carried by the base and adapted to engage the piece of material to mill the same, a horizontally positioned 'shaft in working relation to one side of the fbed, means to support said shaft rockable to :said base, connecting means for one side of the bed to said shaft, an elongated reciprocating `element carried by the base, a diagonally positioned lever carried in working relation to the other side loi the bed, separate means to connect the lever to the .reciprocating element and its respective side of the bed, respectively, for gradual raising and lowering of the bed alternately in the lelements rocking movement, means for attaching said piece of material to said element for sliding movement thereof, a feed controllingmechanism mounted on the said shaft to move the shaft tuate said feed controlling mechanism, said mechanism comprising a means to disengage the mechanism from further raising of the bed When the bed has been raised to a predetermined side of the bed upward step by step as the piece 5 position, all and for the purpose specied.

of material is milled, means connecting the mechanism to said reciprocating element to ac- EDWARD SKILLMAN. 

